Merchandising package



June 11, 1940. E. M. BROGDEN MERCHANDISING PACKAGE Filed April 27, 1936INVENT OR Aljrgg'aen ATTORNEY Patented June 11, 1940 PATENT OFFICEMERCHANDISING PACKAGE Ernest M. Brogden, Orlando, Fla., assignor to Bankof The Manhattan Company, trustee, New York, N. Y., a corporation of NewYork.

Application April 27,

6 Claims.

This invention relates to merchandising packages and particularly to animproved merchandising package which is attractive in appearance andwhich may be economically and easily assembled, packed, stored, andshipped and thereafter conveniently carried by the purchaser.

In merchandising numerous commodities it is desirable to divide theminto units of predetermined number and quantities and assemble each unitin a package of convenient size and shape attractive to the consumer.

In accordance with this invention a container is assembled from a blankof paperboard or other sheet material, having a generally polygonalbottom wall, side walls diverging upwardly therefrom and reinforcedcorner walls formed by flaps extending from the bottom and side walls. Acover member for the container may be formed from a separate blanksimilar in construction to the container itself. In another form of myinvention, the cover is formed by flaps extending from the side walls ofthe container, which flaps are bent over against the contents. The covermay be retained against the contents by a binder, such as an elasticband, applied to the container after filling and closing. The containerformed in accordance with this invention is especially adapted forpackaging fruits,'vegetables, globular objects and similar commodities,and may be provided with openings in one or more faces to permitinspection and ventilation of the contents.

Various other features and advantages of the nvention will be apparentfrom the following particular description and from an inspection of theaccompanying drawing.

Although the novel features which are believed to be characteristic ofthis invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims appendedhereto, the invention itself, as to its objects and advantages, and themanner in which it may be carried out, may be better understood byreferring to the following description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing forming a part thereof, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a blank suitable for forming a container inaccordance with this in vention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the blank show in Fig. 1. partially setup to form a container;

- Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the fully set up container showing thearrangement of globular articles therein; I

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a cover member formed from ablank similar to the container-forming blank shown in Fig. 1;

1936, Serial No. 76,631

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a complete package assembled from thecontainer and cover members shown in Figs. 3 and 4;

c Fig. 6 is a fragmentary top plan view of a blank suitable for forminga modified type of container, and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a fully assembled package formed fromthe blank shown in Fig. 6.

In the following description and in the claims, various details will beidentified by specific names for convenience, but they are intended tobe as generic in their application as the art will permit. Likereference characters denote like parts in the several figures of thedrawing.

In the drawing accompanying and forming part of this specification,certainspecific disclosure of the invention is made for purposes ofexplanation, but it will be understood that the details may be modifiedin various respects without departure from the broad aspect of theinvention.

Referring now to Fig. 1, there is shown a triangular-shaped blank I,formed of paperboard or other suitable material. The blank I comprises agenerally triangular face section 2 which may be provided with atriangular-shaped central opening 3. Extending from each side edge ofthe face section 2 is a side section 4, bendable about a score line 5and divided by a longitudinal score line 6 into .a side wall portion 1,having divergent end edges 9, and a 'sideflap portion 8, bendable aboutthe score line 6. Extending from each end of the side section I is acorner flap or tab Ill having an edge H, de

' fined by a out line intersecting the score line 9, and an edge l2parallel with the score line 9. A score line l3 extends between the endsof two adjacent score lines 9 and defines with adjacent cut lines II agenerally rectangular corner section M.

The blank I may be set up to form a container A (Fig, 2) by bending upthe side members 4 about the score lines 5 and bending up the cornersections l4 along score lines 13. Adjacent corner flaps Ill are bentinwardly along score lines 9 to overlap the corresponding corner section13 and the edges 12 are then brought into abutment. The corner flaps IDare secured to each other and to the corner section Min as'uitablemanher, as, for example, by astaple l5 or by a suitableadhesive. Preferably, the blank I is so 5 formed that the upper edges itof the corner flaps Ill are approximately flush with the upper edge llof the corner section 14 when the blank is set up. Because eachcornersection is not substantially wider, transverse to its base, thanthe adjacent side sections, and has its outer edge H free, that is, withno flap connected thereto, lateral exposure of the fruit or otherarticles at these corners is thus provided for.

A cover member B (Fig. 4) may be formed from a blank similar to theblank I shown in Fig. l, and set up in a similar manner.

The container A is admirably adapted for packaging a predeterminednumber of generally globular articles a one of which is shown inposition in the container in Fig. 3. Preferably the articles a arearranged in a single layer consist-- ing of either three or sixarticles.

The package C (Fig. 5) may be completed by applying the cover B over thefilled container A and applying an elastic band 2% over the containerand cover in three loops 2!, 22 and 23, engaging the cornersrespectively of the container and cover. It will be noted that the sideflaps 8 of the container A telescope within and lie against the insideface of the sidesections l respectively of the cover B and the sideflaps 8 of the cover B overlie the outside face of the side sections 7of the container A, thus providing side wall portions of doublethickness. The corner edges it of the cover B abut against thecorresponding edges of the container A, thereby limiting the collapsing0r telescopic displacement of the container into the cover. The angularside walls formed by the side sections 5 and side fiaps 8 of'the coverand container and the angular corner walls provided by the cornerportions of the cover and container strengthen the sides of thecontainer against crushing.

The container and cover illustrated in Figs. 3 and a are adapted forreceiving relatively small articles in bulk. In packaging articles inbulk, the face sections of the container and cover may be madeimperforate, or if desired, the openings therein may be covered with asuitable transparent material, thereby retaining the contents but at thesame time permitting full inspection thereof.

Referring now to Fig. 6 there is shown a blank suitable for forming amodified type of container, which requires no separate cover member. Theblank iii! may be in general similar to the blank i and may have a facesection Hi2 provided with side portions libiextending from the sideedges thereof. However, instead of side flaps similar to the side flaps8 of the blank i, the blank Hit 'is provided with cover flaps I92.

Each cover flap extends from the side edge of a side section Hi7 and isbendable about the score line tilt. The cover flap 588 preferably is ofsufiicient width to extend over a portion of the upper surface of thecontents of the package when the blank is set up to form a container,thus serving as a cover for the container. The cover flap its may bemade relatively more flexible than the remainder of the blank by theprovision of a series of spaced, parallel score lines 25 or othersuitable means, whereby the cover flap its can be caused to conform tothe shape of contents of the package.

The blank Hli may be set up to form a container D (Fig. 7) in a mannergenerally similar to that described in connection with the blank shownin Fig. l. The container D may be packed in a manner similar to thecontainer A, whereafter the cover flaps Hi8 are curved over against thecontents or and a suitable binder as, for example, an elastic band areis applied over the container D in a series of loops iiii, I22 and E23tc retain the cover flaps against the contents a,

thus forming the completed package E (Fig. 7). The blank provided bythis invention is easy to manufacture and can beshipped as a blank andeasily set up by the packer, or it can be conveniently set up by themanufacturer to form a container which can then be nested with othercontainers for shipment. When set up, the container is ready for use andcan be quickly and easily packed and closed ready for shipment.

By reason of the construction of the container, the contents may bearranged to contact the container at numerous points, and hence the unitpressure at any point is relatively low and in: jury to the contents isminimized. The reinforced sides and corners and the angular shape of thesides and corners present considerable resistance to crushing of thecontainer, and the abutting corner edges of the container and coverprevent the collapsing of the container into the cover.

The container is suitable for packing many diiferent types ofcommodities and is admirably adapted for packing foodstulfs of generallyglobular shape, such as fruits, vegetables, and the like. Although theface sections of the container may be made imperforate to provide anentirely closed container, openings or windows may be provided so thatthe contents may be inspected without opening the package. ()peningsalso per mit ample ventilation of the contents, which is especiallydesirable where the contents comprise articles such as fruits andvegetables.

Commodities are often sold in packages of a dozen, particularly three orsix. Where three or six articles are assembled in the container in themanner disclosed herein, the end closures engage each article and retainthe article in the container. Thus, although the container issuiiiciently open to permit inspection of the contents, nevertheless thecontents are positively retained in the container and thus it is, ineffect, a closed" container.

While certain novel features of the invention have been disclosed andare pointed out in the annexed claims, it will be understood thatvarious omissions, substitutions and changes may be made by thoseskilled in the art without departing, from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is:

l. A blank for forming a container, said blank comprising, a bottomsection of generally polygonal shape, a side section extending from eachof the side edges of the bottom section, a side flap extending from'theside edge of each. of said side sections, a corner section extendingfrom each of the corners at each end of said edges of said bottomsection, and a corner tab extending from each of the end edges of saidside sections.

2. A blank for forming a container comprising a bottom section ofgenerally triangular shape and having beveled corners at all apexes, aside section extending from each of the side edges of the bottomsection, a side flap extending from the side edge of each. of said sidesections, a corner section extending from each of the beveled corners ofsaid bottom section and a corner tab extending from each of the endedges of said side sections.

3. A container fornied'froin paperboard material and including, a boxhaving a bottom wall of generally triangular shape, spaced side wallsdiverging upwardly from the side edges of said bottom wall, corner wallsextending from the corner edges of 'said bottom wall, side flapsextending from the side edges of said side walls, and a cover formedsimilarly to said box and inverted over the open end thereof with itsside flaps overlapping the side walls of said box and the free edges ofits corner portions abutting the edges of the corner walls of said box.

4. A container formed from paperboard material and including a boxhaving a bottom wall of generally triangular shape, spaced side wallsdiverging upwardly from the side edges of said bottom wall, corner wallsextending from the corner edges of said bottom wall, corner flapsextending from said side walls, means securing said corner flaps to saidcorner walls, side flaps extending from the side edges of said sidewalls, and a cover formed similarly to said box and inverted over theopen end thereof with its side flaps overlapping the side walls of saidbox and the free edges of its corner portions abutting the edges of thecorner walls of said box.

5. A blank for forming a container, said blank comprising a bottomsection of generally triangular shape having each corner blunt, a singleside section extending from the edge of each side of the bottom section,a side flap extending from and hinged to the edge of each side section,and a corner section extending from each blunt corner of the bottomsection between adjacent side sections, each corner section being notsubstantially wider, transverse to its base, than the adjacent sidesections and having its outer edge free.

6. A container, formed of flexible material, comprising a box having abottom wall of polygonal shape with blunt corners, including separateside Walls angularly disposed with reference to said bottom wall, saidside walls spaced by, but not integral with, said bottom wall corners,corner walls integral with said bottom wall and extending therefrombetween adjacent side walls, means to secure adjacent corner walls andside walls together, and a cover for the box formed similarly to saidbox, adapted to be inverted over the open face thereof, the side wallsof the cover telescoping the side walls of the box, and the free ends ofthe comer walls of the cover abutting those of the box.

ERNEST M. BROGDEN.

